MASTER PHOTOGRAPHERS
No. 1 - "Meeting of the Rails" at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869.
The Union Pacific and Central Pacific locomotives inched together and Charles
R. Savage took this famous picture. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 2 - The "Golden Spike" ceremony - Leland Stanford and three other
officials drove the last Spike that completed the east-west road. Photographer
Charles R. Savage. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 3 - "The Invocation" - Rev. John Todd of Pittsfield, Mass., and
Mormon Bishop John Sharp spoke. A. A. Hart, the Central Pacific photographer,
captured the moment. Note the telegraph, used to send word of the ceremonies
to the East. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 4 - In October 1866, T. C. Durant, Vice-President of the Union Pacific,
organized an excursion to the 100th Meridian on the railroad to attract eastern
capital. John Carbutt of Chicago went along to photograph the event. The Steamers
"Denver" and "Colorado" carried the excursion on the Missouri
River.
No. 5 - The Directors of the U.P.R.R. at the 100th Meridian, October 1866. Photograph
by John Carbutt. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 6 - The Commissioners and Directors of the U.P.R.R. on the 100th Meridian
Excursion, in an unusually informal pose, taken by John Carbutt. (Courtesy N.Y.
Historical Society)
No. 7 - "Westward, the Monarch of Capital Makes its Way." This was
the title John Carbutt gave to his view of the end of the rails, with a figure
looking ahead. The idea was copied later by other photographers. (Courtesy N.Y.
Historical Society)
No. 8 - The Engineers Camp, Weber Canon, Utah. Note the traveling darkroom at
the right, owned by the photographer, Charles R. Savage.
No. 9 - The Construction Corps' Dining Room, at the end of "Tunnel No.
2." Photograph taken by Capt. A. J. Russell, official photographer for
the U.P.R.R. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 10 - Some of the 10,000 laborers employed by the U.P.R.R. during its construction,
posing with the Paymaster's Car in the background, at Blue Creek. A Russell
photograph. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 11 — The interior of the Paymaster's Tent at Laramie City. The slow
emulsions available to the photographer, Capt . Russell, made this a most difficult
shot. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 12 — An early model steam shovel, working Echo Canon, Utah. A tremendous
amount of grading, etc. was necessary in this stretch of the road. Photograph
by Capt. Russell. (Courtesy A. Stransky)
No. 13 — Heavy snows made construction difficult in winter, and tracks
were sometimes laid on top of the snow. Charles Savage took this picture of
a train being dug out from drifts that covered it.
No. 14 — The famous Dale Creek Bridge, which filled a chasm over 600 feet
long, and proved safe despite one adverse report. Photograph by Capt. Russell.
No. 15 — The Devil's Gate Bridge in Weber Canon, with a work train. Photograph
by William Henry Jackson.
No. 16 — William H. Jackson took many interesting pictures of the sights
along the railroad, including this one of the "Snowflake Hotel" at
Uintah, Utah. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 17 — The scarcity of good water, free of alkali, along the railroad
made it necessary to dig deep artesian wells for boiler water. This windmill
was located at Columbus, Nebraska, once touted as the future capital of America!
Photograph by Capt. Russell.
No. 18 — The railroad depot at Cheyenne. Wyoming, with a locomotive and
stage coach captured by the unknown photographer of the Continental Stereoscopic
Company. [Correct location is unknown.]
No. 19 — Engine No. 86 at Green River Station. Wyoming taken by William
H. Jackson. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 20 — Another locomotive evidently on an excursion, at the Palisades,
Green River. Photograph by Charles Savage.
No. 21— A "Palace Car" of the U.P.R.R. Taken by Capt. Russell.
(Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 22— Fort Point Cut on the Central Pacific R.R. — 70 feet deep
and 600 feet long. This is one of over three hundred photographs of the C.P.R.R.
taken by A. A. Hart.
No. 23— "All Aboard — Emigrant Train" — a
superb head on view taken by T.C. Roche, during his 1870 tour of the U.P. and
C.P.
Railroads for the E. & H. T. Anthony Co. of New York,
No. 24— Pulpit Rock, one of the landmarks along the railroad, with two
locomotives. Photograph by J.J. Reilly of Marysville, California.
No. 25 — A train in "Dixie Cut.'' The construction workers can be
seen in the background. Photograph by A. A. Hart. (Courtesy A. Stransky)
No. 26 — The Summit Tunnel. This amazing interior photograph evidently
required forcing of the emulsion, as it deteriorated in a short time. Taken
by A.A. Hart.
No. 27 — Some of the 12,000 Chinamen who worked with great stamina and
courage on the difficult and dangerous construction of the C.P.R.R. through
the mountains. Photograph by T.C. Roche.
No. 28 — "Hotel De China." One of the huts used to house the
Chinese workers on the C.P.R.R. Photograph by T.C. Roche.
No. 29 — Long Ravine Bridge, on the C.P.R.R. The bridge was 120 feet high.
Photograph by A.A. Hart.
No. 30 — Snowslides were a serious problem on the C.P.R.R. Heavy timbered
structures were built over the tracks at points where the danger was greatest.
This "snowshed" was near Donner Peak. Photograph by T.C. Roche.
No. 31 — The intricate geometric pattern of the framing of the snowsheds
attracted many photographers. This view was taken by Thos. Houseworth, or one
of his men.
No. 32 — A.A. Hart took a number of scenes in which a locomotive or train
made a pleasing part of the composition. This one was taken at Emigrant Gap.
(Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 33 — Another Hart view, with a locomotive prominent in the foreground.
showing detail seldom clear in ordinary engine photographs. The Forks of the
American River are in the background. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 34 — A different locomotive from that in No. 33, with the American
River and Canyon beyond. Taken at Cape Horn, by A.A. Hart.
No. 35 — Titled "North Fork of Yuba, Above Emigrant Gap," this
picture today means much more as a close-up of the interior of the cab of the
tiny locomotive. Taken by A.A. Hart.
No. 36 — "End of Track" — the large settlement of tents,
dormitory cars, etc. at the end of the track created a fair sized town that
usually faded away as the road moved on. A.A. Hart recorded this one. (Courtesy
N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 37 — Cisco Depot, with a Gallows type turntable and Locomotive 17,
"Idaho" which later blew up after its boiler was extended. Photograph
by A.A. Hart.
No. 38 — Upper Cisco, Placer County — one of the most remarkable
photographs of the heavy wagon traffic associated with the construction of the
C.P.R.R. Photograph by Thos. Houseworth.
No. 39 — Close-up of wagon trains near Cisco taken by A.A. Hart.
No. 40 — The depot at Truckee. The blurring of some figures in this bustling
scene indicates that the photographer, A.A. Hart, was unable to perform instantaneous
photography in the field.
No. 41 — An entirely different aspect of Truckee is shown in this view,
taken by T.C. Roche.
No. 42 — A handsome close-up of the C.P.R.R. locomotive "White Eagle,"
taken by Thos. Houseworth of San Francisco.
No. 43 — Pullman's Palace Sleeping Car, "Palmyra," on the C.P.R.R.
This is one of a set taken by C. E. Watkins of San Francisco. (Courtesy N.Y.
Historical Society)
No. 44 — The interior of the Pullman Palace Sleeping Car "Palmyra"
C.E. Watkins series. (Courtesy N.Y . Historical Society)
No. 45 — Another interior detail view of Pullman's Palace Sleeping Car,
''Palmyra." Note the organ built into the car! C.E. Watkins series. (Courtesy
N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 46 — Pullman's Palace Smoking Car. C.E. Watkins Series. (Courtesy
N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 47 — Pullman's Palace Hotel Car — plush living for railroad
and cattle barons. C.E. Watkins series. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 48 — Pullman's Palace Commissary Car — decorated with Japanese
lanterns. C.E. Watkins series. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical Society)
No. 49 — Pullman's Palace Commissary Car — a detail of the furnishings
and equipment at the end of the car. C.E. Watkins series. (Courtesy N.Y. Historical
Society)
No. 50— The C.P.R.R. Ferryboat "Solano," waiting in its slip
at Point Costa for a train from Oakland, last stop across from San Francisco.
Photograph by C.E. Watkins.